On the Nature of 20th and 21st Century Gendered Marketing Strategies and Perceptions Toward Cigarette Products in the United States and China
Abstract
This thesis examines the prevailing sentiments toward cigarettes and the targeted
marketing strategies in the 20th and 21st century of the evolving markets in the United
States and China. Specifically, marketing campaigns featuring women as the main subject
are analyzed, as well as their effects on smoking rates and what cultural significance
can be extracted by the advertisements’ portrayals. Through this analysis, a commentary
on historically exploitative marketing tactics can be made, and themes and trends
revealed can be extrapolated to the modern industry. Chapter 1 discusses the development
of gendered marketing and perceptions toward tobacco and its gendered use in the early
20th century in the United States and China. The subsequent chapter compares contemporary
21st century public opinion in both markets and smoking trends, as well as modern
incarnations of cigarette marketing. This thesis will argue that both markets heavily
encouraged women to smoke in the early 20th century, and, while both demographics
were slow to take up smoking cigarettes, the advertisements acted as a reflection
of shifting sentiments toward women smoking and resulted in an increase in use, an
increase resilient to today. Further evidence suggests an uptick in smoking among
this demographic may be possible in China based on prevailing trends.
Type
Honors thesisDepartment
Asian and Middle Eastern StudiesPermalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/18369Citation
Goff, Trip (2019). On the Nature of 20th and 21st Century Gendered Marketing Strategies and Perceptions
Toward Cigarette Products in the United States and China. Honors thesis, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/18369.Collections
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